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KR-102962107-B1 - THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR FOR VEHICLE

KR102962107B1KR 102962107 B1KR102962107 B1KR 102962107B1KR-102962107-B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle, and by including a thermoelectric material unit comprising a unit thermoelectric material that is movable in a direction of approaching and moving away from a heating element of the vehicle, a thermal expansion member provided between the thermoelectric material unit and the heating element that selectively expands and contracts in response to the temperature of the heating element, and an elastic member that elastically supports the movement of the thermoelectric material unit relative to the heating element, an advantageous effect of simplifying the structure and improving stability and reliability can be obtained.

Inventors

  • 김병욱
  • 이민재

Assignees

  • 현대자동차주식회사
  • 기아 주식회사

Dates

Publication Date
20260511
Application Date
20210310

Claims (11)

  1. A thermoelectric material unit comprising a unit thermoelectric material, configured to be movable in a direction that approaches and moves away from a heating element of a vehicle; A thermal expansion member provided between the thermoelectric material unit and the body to be heated, which selectively expands and contracts in response to the temperature of the body to be heated; and It includes an elastic member that elastically supports the movement of the thermoelectric material unit relative to the heating element. It includes a stopper that restrains the thermal expansion member with respect to the thermoelectric material unit, The above stopper includes a stopper groove provided in at least one of the thermoelectric material unit and the heating element, and the thermal expansion member is received in the stopper groove. A thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle.
  2. In paragraph 1, When the above thermal expansion member contracts, the thermoelectric material unit contacts the above heating body, and A thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle in which, when the above thermal expansion member expands, the thermoelectric material unit is separated from the above heat source.
  3. In paragraph 2, It includes a thermally conductive member provided between the thermoelectric material unit and the body to be heated, and The above thermoelectric material unit is a vehicle thermoelectric power generation device that comes into contact with the above-mentioned body through the above-mentioned thermal conductive member.
  4. In paragraph 1, It includes a housing provided to surround the circumference of the above-mentioned heating element, and The above elastic member is a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle interposed between the housing and the thermoelectric material unit.
  5. In paragraph 4, The above elastic member is, A contact portion that elastically contacts the above thermoelectric material unit; A fixing part provided at one end of the contact part and fixed to the housing; and A movable part provided at the other end of the contact part and movably disposed relative to the housing; A thermoelectric generator for vehicles including
  6. In paragraph 5, The above contact portion, the above fixed portion, and the above moving portion are formed by continuously bending a metal member to form a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle.
  7. delete
  8. In paragraph 1, The above stopper is a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle provided in at least one of the above thermoelectric material unit and the above heating element.
  9. A thermoelectric material unit comprising a unit thermoelectric material, configured to be movable in a direction that approaches and moves away from a heating element of a vehicle; A thermal expansion member provided between the thermoelectric material unit and the body to be heated, which selectively expands and contracts in response to the temperature of the body to be heated; and It includes an elastic member that elastically supports the movement of the thermoelectric material unit relative to the heating element. It includes a stopper that restrains the thermal expansion member with respect to the thermoelectric material unit, The stopper is provided in at least one of the thermoelectric material unit and the heating element, and A thermoelectric generator for a vehicle, wherein the stopper comprises: a first stopper projection arranged along a first direction; and a second stopper projection arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction and connected to the first stopper projection, wherein the first stopper projection and the second stopper projection are provided to mutually cooperate to surround the circumference of the thermal expansion member.
  10. delete
  11. In paragraph 1, The above unit thermoelectric material is, A thermoelectric generator for vehicles comprising at least one of an N-type thermoelectric material and a P-type thermoelectric material.

Description

Thermoelectric generator for vehicles The present invention relates to a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle, and more specifically, to a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle capable of controlling whether or not to supply thermal energy to the thermoelectric power generation device according to the driving conditions of the vehicle. Recently, thermoelectric power generation devices are being developed that generate electricity for vehicles by utilizing thermal energy produced by the vehicle (for example, the heat from exhaust gases). A thermoelectric generation (TEG) system is configured to generate electricity required by a vehicle by utilizing a thermoelectric element that generates electricity using the temperature difference between a high-temperature section and a low-temperature section, thereby utilizing exhaust heat for the high-temperature section and coolant for the low-temperature section. Meanwhile, since excessive thermal energy supplied to the thermoelectric generator may cause damage to the thermoelectric generator, the supply of thermal energy to the thermoelectric generator must be stopped if the thermal energy supplied to the thermoelectric generator (e.g., the temperature of the exhaust gas) is higher than a preset condition. However, in the past, in order to stop the supply of thermal energy to the thermoelectric generator, a separate bypass path and valve had to be provided to allow the thermal energy to bypass the thermoelectric generator, which resulted in a complex structure and reduced design freedom and space utilization. Accordingly, various studies have recently been conducted to selectively control the supply of thermal energy to thermoelectric power generation devices while simplifying the structure, but these efforts are still insufficient, and further development is required. FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining an example of mounting a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining a heating element as a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a drawing for explaining a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining a thermoelectric material unit as a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining a thermal expansion member as a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 6 and 7 are drawings for explaining an elastic member as a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 8 and 9 are drawings for explaining a stopper as a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 10 to 12 are drawings for explaining other embodiments of a stopper as a thermoelectric power generation device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the technical concept of the present invention is not limited to some of the described embodiments but can be implemented in various different forms, and within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, one or more of the components among the embodiments may be selectively combined or substituted. In addition, terms used in the embodiments of the present invention (including technical and scientific terms) may be interpreted in a sense that is generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs, unless explicitly and specifically defined otherwise. Terms that are commonly used, such as terms defined in advance, may be interpreted in consideration of their meaning in the context of the relevant technology. Furthermore, the terms used in the embodiments of the present invention are for the purpose of describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, the singular form may include the plural form unless specifically stated otherwise in the text, and when described as "at least one of A and B and C (or more than one)," it may include one or more of all combinations that can be formed from A, B, and C. In addition, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used when describing the components of the embodiments of the present invention. These terms are intended merely to distinguish a component from other components and are not limited by the essence, order, sequence, etc. of the component. And, where it is stated that a component is 'connected', 'combined', or 'connected' to another component, this may in